The Carson family was closely associated with Texas A & M, with part of the campus having been the original “plantation” of John S. Carson. There have been several family members who were former students, and a map of the College Station from early in the 1900′s show A&M surrounded by land owned by Carsons, Royalls, and Ramseys.

Following is a document related to the founding of Texas A & M, based on an e-mail from Bill Page of the Texas A & M library. Where lists of names are given, only those of our family are included.

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The State of Texas County of Brazos – I, C. F. MOORE clerk of the District Court in and for said County and State, do hereby certify that after a careful examination of the Records of my office I find the following titles to the Land recently conveyed to the Mechanical and Agricultural College of Texas by …Recorded in Book D, p. 243 [W.B.P. GAINES to John CARSON written in margin]. 210 acres of said half League Deed dated June 11th 1866. Recorded in Book H, page 446 [CARSON by Extr. To T.J. WOOTTEN written in margin] and T.J. WOOTEN to said Rebecca RECTOR Deed for said 210 acres dated March 12 1868 Recorded in Book 1 page 72 ……And for the 838 acres his title is evidenced by deeds from W.B.P. GAINES to John CARSON dated August 8 1853 recorded in Book D page 243 (the title to GAINES being herein before recited) and by John CARSON by his Executor James R CARSON to H. Mitchell deed dated February 13, 1871 recorded in Book M page 191. And the title to the remainder of the said 838 acres is evidenced by title from the said W.B.P. GAINES and John CARSON by Executor, deeds dated respectively December 15 1869 and March 5 1870 recorded in Book K page 218 and Book 1 page 11….

To certify of which I hereunto set my hand and seal of office at Bryan this 25th day of August AD 1871. C.F. MOORE, Clk Dist Ct Brazos County.

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(It would be appreciated if a lawyer or real estate person would explain the above)

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS BELIEVED THAT AS JOHN C. CARSON DIED IN THE WANING DAYS OF THE WAR THAT HE WAS MOST LIKELY BURIED AT HIS HOME, AS THE MEN OF THE FAMILY WERE GONE. THIS MEANS THAT HIS GRAVE IS PROBABLY ON THE CAMPUS OF TEXAS A & M.

The above does not clarify how much CARSON land was involved. However, following is the tax roll for Brazos County during the period before and after the founding of Texas A & M, which should give some idea of the acreage involved. The years 1869 through 1871 were difficult to read as the ink was faded in the record book.

In 1868, three years before the exchange of land for Texas A & M, the tax rolls were:
John CARSON (estate), 354 acres
Nathan Franklin CARSON, 154 acres
Alfred CARSON, 0 acres

In 1872, the year after the exchange of land for Texas A & M, the tax rolls were:
Nathan Franklin CARSON, 150 acres
Alfred Roe CARSON, 0 acres.

By simple subtraction, the most land that could have been given/sold by the CARSON family for A & M was 358 acres.

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Thomas Roe CARSON (84) and his brother Curtis Abernathy CARSON (85) had a hauling company in the Bryan-College Station area, and hauled brick, sand, and cement from the Bryan railroad sidings to A&M for the early construction of the College (now University). These buildings are still standing.

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Eighteen members of the first freshman class attended the Christmas celebration at Union Church in 1876. The Carson family had donated the land for the Church, had helped in its construction, and were present at this celebration.

Henry C. Dethloff, retired Chairman of the History Department, stated (in 2003), that a James W. Carson was Superintendent of the A&M Farms for many years (about 1905) and his brother, John M. Carson, became College Treasurer about 1905 and Assistant Director of the (beginning) Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in 1906. However, these two men have not been found to be a descendent of the John C. Carson family.